Samir Kuntar is a Lebanese terrorist who in 1979 infiltrated Israel and murdered four Israelis. Kuntar murdered his youngest victim, four-year-old Einat Haran, by repeatedly smashing her head with his rifle butt.

After being released from Israeli prison in 2006, Kuntar joined Hezbollah and was planning terror attacks against Israel when he was killed in Syria last week.

The following are 15 statements by PA and Fatah officials glorifying Kuntar and his “heroic” act of murder:

"The [PLO] Commission of Prisoners and Released Prisoners' Affairs established a house of mourning for the most senior of Arab prisoners, Martyr (Shahid) Samir Kuntar, who Israel assassinated... Director of PLO Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs Issa Karake stated: 'Martyr Samir Kuntar is a Palestinian symbol... We gather today in honor of Martyr Kuntar, in order to accompany him to his wedding (i.e., Martyr’s funeral, considered wedding to the 72 Virgins in Paradise) as a Martyr, in the name of all the Palestinian people, and in order to emphasize to him and to everyone fighting for Palestine: You will remain present throughout our lives. We will not forget your heroic acts and sacrifice, and we will talk about you with all future generations. We will tell them: Kuntar rubbed the nose of the occupier in the dust here.’”

[Ma'an, independent Palestinian news agency, Dec. 22, 2015]

"Bassam Abu Sharif, advisor to the late President Yasser Arafat [and member of the Palestinian National Council, the legislative body of the PLO] stated: 'This terrorist act (i.e., refereance to the attack in Syria) claimed the life of one of the Arab resistance heroes, Samir Kuntar, who had been released from the Israeli prison. This action, which claimed the life of the heroic Martyr (Shahid), is added to the international terrorist acts perpetrated by Israel.'”

[Donia Al-Watan (independent Palestinian news agency), Dec. 20, 2015]

“Fatah Central Committee member [and former head of the PA General Intelligence] Tawfiq Tirawi, condemned yesterday in an announcement, the assassination of fighter leader, released prisoner Samir Kuntar... Tirawi stated that this heinous crime is added to the history of terror by the Israeli occupation state, which insists on continuing with the killing and destruction anywhere it pleases... Tirawi expressed deep sorrow and extended his warm condolences to the family of the deceased Martyr, Samir Kuntar, who fought in the Palestinian revolution from a young age. He said that the grief for a fighter who dedicated his life to the Palestinian and Arab cause is the same in Palestine, Lebanon, and the [entire] Arab world."

[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Dec. 21, 2015]

"The national and Islamic forces in the Ramallah and El-Bireh district set up a mourning tent to receive those offering condolences over leader Samir Kuntar's death as a Martyr (Shahid)...

In his speech in the name of the Fatah Central Committee, Fatah Central Committee member Azzam Al-Ahmad saluted Martyr Kuntar and his long path of struggle... The factions and those present eulogized the Martyr with short speeches, which noted his virtues and bravery... He sat for 27 years in the occupation's prisons, from the time he was a young boy, following a heroic operation."

[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Dec. 23, 2015]

Picture and text posted on the Facebook page of Adnan Al-Damiri, official spokesman of the PA Security Forces

Adnan Al-Damiri, official spokesman of the PA Security Forces:“Palestine loves you as you loved it. None of us doubts your loyalty to Palestine, a Martyr (Shahid) as big as the homeland...Peace be upon your soul, O Palestinian Arab.”

[Facebook page of Adnan Al-Damiri, Dec. 20, 2015]

Official PA TV News broadcast about Samir Kuntar’s death

Official PA TV reporter: “Martyr (Shahid) Samir Kuntar was born in 1962 in the village of Abey on Mount Lebanon, joined the Palestine Liberation Front when he was 14 years old, and joined its training camps, and created for himself a history of unrelenting struggle."

[Official PA TV, Dec. 20, 2015]

Official PA TV program Topic of the Day on the death of Samir Kuntar, hosted PLO Executive Committee member and Secretary-General of the Palestinian Liberation Front Wasel Abu Yusuf.

Official PA TV host: “In this episode we will discuss the Israeli air force’s bombing and assassination operation against the great fighter Samir Kuntar who spent nearly 30 years in Israeli prison while defending freedom, honor, and the Palestinian national struggle.”

PLO Executive Committee member and Secretary-General of the Palestinian Liberation Front Wasel Abu Yusuf: “We extend condolences to ourselves, to the Palestinian people, to the Arab and Islamic nation, and all free men around the world, on the Martyrdom of Samir Kuntar."

[Official PA TV, Dec. 20, 2015]

“Fatah Central Committee member Sultan Abu Al-Einein condemned the assassination of Lebanese Hezbollah leadership member and released prisoner, Samir Kuntar... Abu Al-Einein sent condolences on fighter Samir Kuntar’s death to the Martyr’s family.”

“O erect tree of the forest and the heart glittering in the waters of the homeland

Martyr (Shahid) Samir Kuntar, goodbye”

[Fatah Twitter account, Dec. 20, 2015]

"Secretary-General of the Palestinian Liberation Front [and PLO Executive Committee member] Dr. Wasel Abu Yusuf stated that ‘Israel’s assassination of Lebanese-Palestinian-Arab fighter Samir Kuntar is a new crime perpetrated by the occupation against Arab fighters... He believed in the concept of resistance and implemented it in Palestine since his youth, in the heroic operation (i.e., terror attack) in Nahariya."

[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Dec. 21, 2015]

Image and text posted on Abbas Zaki's Facebook page on Dec. 20, 2015

"Fatah Central Committee member and Fatah Commissioner of Arab Relations and Relations with China Abbas Zaki sent a letter of condolence to his honor Hassan Nasrallah (i.e., Secretary-General of Hezbollah)... The letter said: 'We received with pride and honor the news of the death as a Martyr of the national hero, one of the outstanding knights, senior among prisoners, Martyr of the Lebanese resistance and Martyr of Palestine, the late Samir Kuntar, who died as a Martyr through traitors, in a despicable bombing by the Zionist entity's airplanes... We swear to the Martyr to continue in the way of struggle until victory, Allah willing, and until the purification of the Palestinian and Arab land from the Israeli occupation and the criminal gangs. To him be glory in Paradise with the prophets and truth speakers, and to you and us, to his family and those who love him, patience and condolences for his glorious death as a martyr."

[Abbas Zaki's Facebook page, Dec. 20, 2015]

"Arab-Lebanese fighter Samir Kuntar became involved in the Palestinian national struggle at an early age, when he joined the Palestine Liberation Front. Samir was endowed with courage and valor, and continued the path of struggle. In April 1979 he came off [a boat] off the Nahariya (i.e., Israeli city) coast, and carried out his operation (i.e. terror attack), in which 5 Israelis were killed, and several others were wounded... Samir Kuntar’s body is gone, but the spirit and lessons drawn from his pioneering experience remain present in the Palestinian national history, as well as the Lebanese and Arab history."

[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Dec. 22, 2015]

Al-Mayadeen TV report about a Gazan Palestinian who named his newborn son after Samir Kuntar:

Al-Mayadeen TV reporter: “Israel failed to eliminate the name of Martyr Samir [Kuntar], as the shriek of newborn Samir crosses horizons.”

The newborn’s father Maher Hathat: “The least we could do is to name him after Samir Kuntar.”

[Quds Net News Agency, Dec. 20, 2015]

The following are longer quotes from some of the statements honoring Kuntar:

"The Commission of Prisoners and Released Prisoners' Affairs established a house of mourning for the most senior of Arab prisoners, Martyr (Shahid) Samir Kuntar, who Israel assassinated... Director of PLO Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs Issa Karake stated: 'Martyr Samir Kuntar is a Palestinian symbol... We gather today in honor of Martyr Kuntar, in order to accompany him to his wedding (i.e., Martyr’s funeral, considered wedding to the 72 Virgins in Paradise) as a Martyr, in the name of all the Palestinian people, and in order to emphasize to him and to everyone fighting for Palestine - you will remain present throughout our lives. We will not forget your heroic acts and sacrifice, and we will talk about you with all future generations. We will tell them: Kuntar rubbed the nose of the occupier in the dust here... Karake sent the occupation a message that it must begin to prepare for its demise, stating: 'The era of its injustice and crimes is about to end and be wiped out, and soon the [Palestinian] prisoners will be released, and the prisons will empty out."

“Fatah Central Committee member [and former head of the PA General Intelligence] Tawfiq Tirawi, condemned yesterday [Dec. 20, 2015] in an announcement, the assassination of fighter leader, released prisoner Samir Kuntar... Tirawi stated that this heinous crime is added to the history of terror by the Israeli occupation state, which insists on continuing with the killing and destruction anywhere it pleases...

Tirawi stated that targeting the fighter Kuntar who [fought] at the battlefield against ISIS and the forces of darkness and terror, is a proof of the occupation government’s support of ISIS and its partnership with ISIS in causing the dissolution of the Arab states. This is in order to redraw the political map in the region in a manner that would serve the new colonialist conspiracy in the Arab region, which is aimed at eliminating the Palestinian cause. Tirawi expressed deep sorrow and extended his warm condolences to the family of the deceased Martyr, Samir Kuntar, who fought in the Palestinian revolution from a young age. He said that the grief for a fighter who dedicated his life to the Palestinian and Arab cause is the same in Palestine, Lebanon, and the [entire] Arab world."

“Fatah Central Committee member Sultan Abu Al-Einein condemned the assassination of Lebanese Hezbollah leadership member and released prisoner, Samir Kuntar... Abu Al-Einein added that Martyr (Shahid) Kuntar had inhaled the scent of Palestine since his childhood, and had turned 16 when the Israeli enemy’s justice system sentenced him to 5 life sentences and a few decades...

Abu Al-Einein stressed that the Kuntar’s assassination reveals that Israel and its allies stand behind the dark terrorist movements and currents in the region, most prominently ISIS...

Abu Al-Einein sent condolences on fighter Samir Kuntar’s death to the Martyr’s family, Hezbollah, the Lebanese and Palestinian people and freemen around the world... He called on the Arab and Islamic nations to consolidate a unified position concerning Israel’s schemes to destroy the entire region.”

"Secretary-General of the Palestinian Liberation Front [and PLO Executive Committee member] Dr. Wasel Abu Yusuf stated that ‘Israel’s assassination of Lebanese-Palestinian-Arab fighter Samir Kuntar is a new crime perpetrated by the occupation against Arab fighters... He believed in the concept of resistance and implemented it in Palestine since his youth, in the heroic operation (i.e., terror attack) in Nahariya. Upon his release from the occupation’s prison, after over 30 years (sic.) he chose [to continue] his way with the Lebanese Hezbollah, and continued his struggle in Lebanon, after his release from captivity.”

[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Dec. 21, 2015]

Video headline: “Samir Kuntar was born in Gaza”

“Palestinian citizen Maher Hathat from Khan Younis, in the south of the Gaza Strip, named his newborn son after Martyr (Shahid) Samir Kuntar, today, Sunday [Dec. 20, 2015]"

Al-Mayadeen TV reporter: “Israel failed to eliminate the name of Martyr Samir [Kuntar], as the shriek of newborn Samir crosses horizons, indicating that Palestine and Lebanon are a single heart... Allah gave Maher a child, and behold, Samir Kuntar was reborn on the day of his death."The newborn’s father Maher Hathat: “The least we could do is to name him after Samir Kuntar... because he rebelled for Palestine.”

Al-Mayadeen TV reporter: “The body of Samir Kuntar has left the world, but his soul is eternal, spreading hope and resolve for the liberation of Palestine.”

[Quds Net News Agency, Dec. 20, 2015]

Samir Kuntar - A Lebanese terrorist who murdered 4 Israelis in Nahariya in 1979: 3 members of the Haran family - 4-year-old Einat Haran, who Kuntar murdered by smashing her head with his rifle butt, 2-year-old Yael, who was accidentally suffocated as her mother tried to keep her silent while they hid from the terrorists, and their father, Danny Haran - and Eliyahu Shahar, the first policeman to respond. Kuntar was sentenced by Israel to 4 life sentences. He was released in a deal between Israel and Hezbollah in July 2008, exchanged for the bodies of Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, Israeli soldiers kidnapped and killed by Hezbollah in 2006.

On Dec. 19, 2015, he was killed in an explosion in Syria. An Israeli airstrike is suspected by some, though the Free Syrian Army took credit.